“Haine-chi, if you want us to win no matter what, you can promise ‘I will kiss you if you win’ and Karen-chi’s overall parameters will go up by three times more, you know?” (Celestis)

Celestis who was prostrated on the floor in despair said this.

“Celestis-chan, stop it! Haine-san, I am looking forward to it!” (Karen)

Which is it, Karen-san?

But if this will only boost the motivation of Karen-san, the other four will still have their despairing state…

“Mirack-chi, Mirack-chi, I have discovered something incredible.” (Celestis)

“…What?” (Mirack)

“When lying down on the floor like this, we can peek at Karen-chi’s panties as much as we want.” (Celestis)

“What? Seriously?” (Mirack)

Mirack, who was lying down depressed, was told this by Celestis who was lying face up on the floor and it made Mirack’s mood slightly better.

“Stop it.” (Karen)

Karen-san is wearing a skirt today.

“Also, we are planning on moving a lot today, so I wore a shorts underneath my skirt. Don’t go lying, Celestis-chan!” (Karen)

“You don’t understand, Karen-chi. Whether it is shorts or pantyless, it doesn’t matter. There’s romance in looking at the hidden domain that is the inside of a skirt.” (Celestis)

At any rate, it was already a mess.

If there’s another person we can rely on, it would have to be…the wind hero, Hyue. But where is she?

I haven’t felt her presence for a while now though.

I tried looking around, and I found her standing still at a corner of the room.

It looks like she is cleaning her gun, En no Ozuno, and laughing ‘kukuku’. How scary.

“What’s the matter with Hyue? Why does she have such a horrifying atmosphere?” (Haine)

“I don’t know… She has been like this all this time since the names of our opponents were announced.” (Karen)

Names of the opponents?

Now that I think about it, there was an unfamiliar name in the previous wind hero line that I thought would be vacant.

“…To think I would have the chance to kick the ass of that person in this kind of place.” (Hyue)

“Hiiih?!”

What’s wrong, Hyue-san?! You are scary!

“Everyone!!” (Hyue)

Hyue-san stands up proudly!

“This is a battle that will decide the rise or fall of the Hero Alliance! In order to show our justice, let’s do our best and slaughter all the annoying past heroes!!” (Hyue)

““““We can’t kill them, okay?!””””

But the unexpected roar of Hyue had everyone retort.

“Right. Staying here in low spirits won’t help at all.” (Mirack)

“This is already our era. Let’s teach that to Oba-san and the others.” (Celestis)

“Defeat them before we get defeated-dasu! That be the survival of the fittest, that be the ironclad rule to survive in this world-dasu!” (Sasae)

The three that were prostrated on the floor stand up with strength gathered in their limbs.

“Let’s do it, everyone! Let’s show the previous heroes our strength!” (Karen)

Karen-san chimed last, and all five shouted in determination.

“““““OOOOOOOOHHHH!!””””” “-DASU!”

No matter what’s said, they all have overcome many life-or-death situations together. Their teamwork is excellent.

Worrying more than this would be unnecessary.

Thinking this, I left just like that and decided on leaving it to them.

***

This time, I really might end up simply watching.

Those girls are strong. They should be able to overcome their own difficulties.

Let’s obediently return to where the Founders are…is what I thought but…

“……….”

I thought this, and yet, my legs were directed at a different direction.

At the direction where the waiting room of the enemy of Karen-san and the others are, the previous heroes team.

• 184: Waiting Room -Previous Heroes

Why did I come here?

I think this as I stand in front of the door of the waiting room.

Of course, even if I say waiting room, it isn’t the waiting room of the current heroes team where I had visited Karen-san and the others just a few moments ago.

It is the waiting room of the previous heroes that are the opponents in this match.

Will this turn into an inspection of the enemy’s movements?

There’s nothing I can gain from doing that, but as expected, I can’t hold down the feeling that I want to do something for them.

“…”

I breath deeply once, and knock on the door.

A satisfying *knock, knock, knock* sound rang.

“Yes~, you can enter~.”

I heard the voice of someone on the other side saying it is okay to enter, so I open the door.

“Sorry for the intrusion~~.” (Haine)

What welcomed me the moment I entered the room was…a fully exposed breast.

“What?!!” (Haine)

There was a woman that had a breast exposed in the waiting room.

It is a person I have seen for the first time, and should be around her mid-twenties. It can be said to be the standard age of a previous hero but, why does she have a breast exposed?!

…Wait, there’s a baby nibbling on that breast.

I see, she is breastfeeding!

Sorry for being occupied~. But babies don’t care about the matters of adults, ya see~. When they hungry, they will make a ruckus, and I gotta bring out my breast~.”

“A-And who are you?” (Haine)

“Ara, excuse my rudeness. I be late in my introductions~. I be the previous earth hero, Iemon Yoneko.” (Yoneko)

This person is…the earth hero that came before Sasae-chan.

Her whole body is well-rounded, and even though she is in her mid-twenties, she already has the atmosphere of a mother.

She is always showing a happy-looking smile, and she actually looks more like Mother Earth than Mantle herself.

“Uhm…sorry! I intruded while you were in the middle of something…!” (Haine)

“It’s fine, it’s fine~. Yer Haine-san, right? Sobo-chan told me that ya be the savior of Ishtar Blaze, and I can’t neglect my respect~. Don’t mind something like this. This little one be simply eatin’ his meal~.” (Yoneko)

The spirit of a mother!

R-Right. This is the meal of the baby, so the very thought of thinking about it in a perverted way is rude!

“No, uhm…It was surprising that you would be participating in this occasion! I heard that you wouldn’t be participating after all.” (Haine)

“Well, when the notice of Sobo-chan came, it be just the time when this little one had been born, ya see. I lost all reason to refuse~.” (Yoneko)

The baby must have filled himself up. He lets go of his mouth. Yoneko-san covers her breast with practiced hand, and makes the baby let out a burb.

If I remember correctly, she is the cousin of Sasae-chan. In that case, the ‘Sobo-chan’ she is talking about must be the same as Sasae-chan, the current Earth Founder ‘Taker by the Roots’.

A woman that possesses the same blood of the strongest hero.

Based on the information of Sasae-chan, she was apparently unable to participate because she was pregnant, but it looks like she had already given birth. So that’s why she ended up participating huh.

“Hmph, it is just before a battle, and yet, it is so noisy it is annoying.” (Kyouka)

“The people of the Earth Church are truly lacking grace and are noisy.” (Sarasa)

From the deep part of the room, I heard the complaining voices of the previous fire hero Kyouka and the previous water hero Sarasa.

I completely didn’t notice them because of the shocking Mother Earth-level breasts, but these people were also here huh.

“What weird people~. It be obvious that children are noisy. If ya complain on things like that all the time, ya can’t become proper mothers, ya know~?” (Yoneko)

“What did you say?” (Kyouka)

“Are you picking a fight?” (Sarasa)

The fire and water were seething in anger, but the earth was also releasing pressure that didn’t lose to theirs.

“I simply said what’s obvious, ya know~. In the first place, the fact that ya haven’t gotten pregnant a single time even though ya already be older than twenty is something impossible to think of in mah countryside. Ya would need to be quite the ugly ones~.” (Yoneko)

“Earth woman, whose only trait is to give birth like a rabbit, do you have enough strength as a hero to compensate for that big mouth of yours?!” (Kyouka)

“Right. I am beginning to feel like it would be best to shut you up first before dealing with the conceited juniors!” (Sarasa)

Kyouka and Sarasa take a battle stance. On the other hand, Yoneko-san looks like she is also fully intending to confront them.

They are on really bad terms! As I thought, the previous heroes don’t get along at all!

“Stop.”

At that moment, a hoarse voice was hurled out. The sharpness of that tone stopped the bloodthirst of the previous heroes.

“Sobo-chan?!” (Yoneko)

The one who appeared was the Earth Founder Oba-san.

This very person is someone who trampled in a past that is even farther away than the women here. Due to the presence of their great senior, not only her granddaughter Yoneko-san, even Sarasa and Kyouka stiffened.

“Yoneko, the reason why I called ya here was not to have ya fight in a place like this. Understand yer own role.” (Oba-san)

“I know~, Sobo-chan.” (Yoneko)

Her words may sound obedient, but she is puckering her lips a hell lot.

“Ya two as well, ya must have yer own circumstances, but today, ya be members that will be fighting’ together today-sa ne. Can’t ya get together a bit?” (Oba-chan)

“Get together, you say?! Don’t joke around!” (Kyouka)

Kyouka roars as she stands.

“Don’t misunderstand, Earth Founder! My objective is to beat into shape my weakling of a junior. The team battle was something that was decided on their own convenience! I don’t have a single shred of an intention to get along with this bunch!” (Kyouka)

“I have no intentions of getting along with the enemy. Being a team battle is just in form; we will be doing our own thing.” (Sarasa)

“In the first place, I don’t know if this is a waiting room or whatever, but why do I have to be placed in the same room as these people?! Just breathing the same air as these people is displeasing!” (Kyouka)

“The Light and Wind ones were not here from the very beginning, and yet, I feel like an idiot for faithfully staying here. I will be relaxing in a different room right now.” (Sarasa)

Saying this, Kyouka and Sarasa left the room angered.

“I be relieved that they are gone now~. If I be close to such widows, it would be bad for the education of this child.” (Yoneko)

No well, at the very least, Sarasa-san seems to be married though…

“Can’t even be described as not getting along.” (Oba-san)

The Earth Founder Oba-san says with a troubled tone.

“But that be the original shape of the five Churches-sa ne. For several centuries, we been fighting each other and stealing each other’s profits. It be the same in my active days. Will this turn into a passing disorder, or will a new standard arise; the answer to that will be decided by this match.” (Oba-san)

Saying this, the Oba-san took the baby that Yoneko-san was carrying.

“Now, ya go prepare as well. I be watching over this child. That’s why I came here after all.” (Oba-san)

“Good grief. Sobo-chan is so pushy and arbitrary~. But it be really okay to seriously aim to crush Sasae-chan?” (Yoneko)

“Yeah. If she gets crushed there, it just means she only amounted to that much-sa ne. Don’t be going easy on them, Yoneko. This fight be showing the whole world the true worth of those girls after all.” (Oba-chan)

Is it like the beasts that push their children to the depths of a valley?

As always, the things that the Earth Church do are scary.

…So, in the end, I practically didn’t say anything since the moment I came to this room.

• 185: Match Begins

At any rate, the bad relationship between the previous heroes was clear.

They think of themselves as being way too strong, can’t acknowledge each other, and can’t even stay in the same room. That’s why they can’t forgive the relationship of the current heroes, and are trying to crush them.

As a result, what came out was the match between the current heroes vs the previous heroes.

With the match about to begin, the stadium was already filled with more than thousands of spectators.

“To think that they would be fighting in front of such a big audience!” (Haine)

The Founders were sitting in the noble area in order to spectate, and I was also mixed in that group.

I was plainly surprised by the amount of people.

“If we don’t put things to an end in the eyes of the public, it won’t serve as proof after all. The contra side also agreed to this-desu wa.” (Yorishiro)

Is what Yorishiro says as she smiles. Even though the Founders will be made to resign if they lose.

Is this a display that she has confidence they certainly won’t lose?

But the reason of this big prosperity of people is not only because it is a clash between the old and new heroes. It is also because of the location of the stadium.

This is the Wind capital, Rudras Metropolis.

The Wind nation that had been clouded in mystery for many years has, for the first time, opened their gates to the public.

The audience seats are filled with people from the Earth, Water, Fire, and Light nations that were burning with curiosity.

“I am grateful for the Wind Founder-sama’s sponsorship in this-desu wa.” (Yorishiro)

Yorishiro looks at the Wind Founder Shiva that is sitting at her side and says this.

“The Wind Church has changed their policy of secrecy, so we will be having a lot of information exchanges, and you will be profiting plenty by selling the license fees of the ethereal technology knowledge that you have gathered up until now. Will today’s fight be your first big step in publicity?” (Yorishiro)

“Hope this won’t be my last day as a Founder though.” (Shiva)

Shiva deftly evades the probing of Yorishiro.

This economic treat is also an important factor that the contra reconciliation side want to get their hands on in this old and new heroes match.

They are pulling strings here and there.

It looks like the fight is about to begin.

A young woman, that seems to be the announcer, makes an entrance at the center of the stage.

“I’m glad to see you all gathered here today!! A battle that will be carving its mark in history is about to take place right here!! The heroes of the five Grand Churches; their current and previous heroes are divided in enemies and allies, and are going to be clashing!!”

The announcer explained the details of the sequence of events that led to this match. About the pro and contra reconciliation sides’ confrontation, and the current and previous heroes representing them in this match.

“If the current heroes win, a new era will begin; if the previous heroes win, the era will be maintained the same! This is truly the turning point of history! Everyone, watch over this fight today, and become the witnesses of history!!”

The audience responds with a thunderous ‘Oooo!!’

I feel as if it has been a festive mood this whole time. Is it my imagination?

“Well then, before the fight begins, let’s have a special guest liven up the place!!”

A special guest?

“In the past, this demon intimidated the Fire capital, Muspelheim, but now, it is a mascot that’s loved by everyone!! The Fire Cow Phalaris has come here to play with us in this Wind capital, Rudras Metropolis~!!”

For some reason, a familiar cow had run onto the stage and was running here and there doing its greetings.

The audience reacted greatly to that.

Many were cries of happiness, and there were places that went ‘Kyaaa!! How cuteee!’ and some that cheered.

In response, the Fire Cow Phalaris lifted up its front legs high up and sends out one more greeting.

“What in the world is he doing?” (Haine)

The natural question that came out from me was answered by Yorishiro sitting beside me.

“I asked the Fire Church to bring him here. The Fire Cow Phalaris that the previous hero lost against it and the current hero who won against it; he is the most clearest representation of the superiority between the old and the new. By displaying it before the fight, it will stir up the enemy side even more-desu wa.” (Yorishiro)

“Let there be hot-bloodedness.” (Enou)

No, even if that’s the case…! Why the hell is he fawning like crazy without any hesitation…

And as expected, even the incarnation of the Wind God Quasar, Shiva, noticed it too.

“Wa…that cow, could it be…” (Shiva)

“Don’t know.” “Must be your imagination-desu wa.”

“But…those soul waves…I feel like I have felt them before…!” (Shiva)

“Don’t mind it.” “There are things that have no point in minding-desu wa.”

That’s right. I won’t mind it.

I won’t mind that he is a mere shadow of the former Fire God Nova that tried to burn the surface world in the past!

***

The performance finished, and this time for sure, the match was about to begin.

The announcer lady once again explains the format of the match.

“The match will be a fight of five against five. It is a fight where the 10 old and new heroes will be jumbled up at the same time. Under certain conditions, it will be judged whether they are unable to continue the fight, and the one who wipes out the other side first will be the winner!!”

Immediately after the explanation, several entrance gates open around the stage.

5 entrance gates in total are arranged at the outer edge of the stage, and if we were to connect the 5 entrances with lines, you would be able to draw a perfect pentagon.

“An impartial raffle took place with the old and new heroes, and with that, it was decided from which entrance they would be coming out from!”

Hm?

But there were five entrance gates opened in the stage. The current heroes have five and the previous heroes have five, so there’s a total of ten.

Aren’t the numbers lacking completely?

“From each entrance gate, there will be one old hero and one new hero. In other words, two heroes will be coming from one entrance gate at the same time! Once they have entered, the match will begin!”

Words of ‘I see’ were let out at the seats in the area after that explanation.

“This is a plan to hype up the match by adding a random factor to it-desu wa ne.” (Yorishiro)

“Hm? What do you mean by that?” (Haine)

“Earth, water, fire, wind, and light; in this fight where these five elements will be jumbled together, the usage of the elemental affinities will become the key to victory.” (Yorishiro)

Elements have their forte and weakness.

Fire wins against wind, water wins against fire, earth wins against water, wind wins against earth, and light has slight advantage against all four elements.

That rule has affected the battles we have had until now a lot of times.

“Especially so in this fight. Avoiding the element that is disadvantageous for themselves, they have to attack the element they are advantageous against. The ones who manage to do that are the ones who will control the battle.” (Yorishiro)

“True.” (Haine)

“Those entrance gates will be the highest denominator in this fight of elemental affinities. If it’s just like the announcer explained, and the heroes that come out from the doors were decided completely randomly…” (Yorishiro)

Two people will come out from one entrance. Moreover, the two will be of opposing sides.

In that case, the ones who come out together will no doubt end up fighting with each other right from the beginning.

Whether that opponent is an advantageous elemental affinity or a disadvantageous one will be decided by luck huh.

Of course, this is a team match, so even if they come out together with an opponent whose element they are weak against, they can group up with their comrades, and if it’s the contrary, they can pin down the opponent they are in an advantage against and defeat them.

So we would be able to enjoy those kinds of strategic moves huh.

I now understand the objective of this setup.

I wonder which will be the sets that will be coming out from those entrances!!

“?!! What?!!” (Haine)

First entrance gate: current fire hero Mirack and the previous water hero Sarasa.

Second entrance gate: current water hero Celestis and the previous earth hero Yoneko.

Third entrance gate: current wind hero Hyue and the previous fire hero Kyouka.

Fourth entrance gate: current earth hero Sasae-chan and…what’s with that unkempt hair woman?!

No, what’s more important is that, excluding the fifth entrance gate where Karen-san and Ates came out from, all the current heroes have gotten into a pairing that is overwhelmingly disadvantageous!!

“Well then, match begin!!”